OK, I went to look at rulers yesterday and got real confused at what I was seeing. I was in the quilt section at a hobby store local to me. Right now I am using a metal yard stick to help cut squares. Thought I bought a ruler but can not find it so it might have broke in move.

Now money is real tight so I want something as versitile as I can get. Do not want to have to buy 10 rulers and or templates if I can get away with 5. So I am looking for your ruler experiance to help make a choice that I will not regret latter because I bought the wrong one. It does Not have to be something I can pick up local. It can be a set deal like more than one. Price should be under $100.00 if a set. Since I am still looking at buying a bigger cutting mat if the have a mat ruler set that would work also.

Thanks.

I like the omnigrid rulers. I use the 6 1/2 by 24 inches and the 12 1/2 in square rulers. I have been able to do everything I wanted with those two rulers.

Janie

The 6 by 24 Omnigrid seems to be a fave. I love my 15 by 15 Omnigrid too. I only use two rulers for everything. No need to buy a bunch.

Omnigrid does make nice rulers and they're quite popular.

Olipfa rulers are another good choice.

personally, i prefer the rulers from the EZ Quilting line. it's easier [for me] to see the fabric through the ruler; the lines are thinner so i can get more accurate cuts; and they are less expensive.

I think a 6 1/2 inch ruler is a must as well as a 6x24 inch ruler and if you can swing it buy a 16 inch square. That should get you started. rulers last a long time and are an excellant investment. Marge

You can get by with one ruler for cutting strips and one for squaring up your blocks. The 6X24 is a very popular size because you can cut the full width of fabric with only one fold. The 12.5X12.5 is the best size for squaring blocks IMO. I have the 9.5X9.5 12X12 and 15X15. I use the 12.5X12.5 most of the time. I also use my 6X12 ruler a lot for subcutting strips and smaller pieces of fabric. I just don't like deaing with that large 6X24 when I'm working with smaller pieces.

Joann's has both these rulers (and more) on their website. Here's a coupon code to get 50% off one item at checkout. I don't know if it takes the 50% off the most expensive item or the least expensive though.

http://www.joann.com/joann/search/se...arch%253Druler The rectangular rulers are on page 4 and the square rulers are on page 5


Enter this code at checkout: TTF97

We have rulers of all different sizes and manufacturers. Our favorite rulers are made by OLFA. The type we like are frosted and so much easier to see in use. I'm not a really big fan of the Omni-Grip line of rulers because they are really hard to read and they are really busy, marking wise. The nice thing about the frosted ones is that they are very easy to read against any color of fabric. The markings will wear off the Omni-Grip and render it useless after a time.

Size wise a 6.5" x 24" is a must have, you'll use it 4 times more than any other size. A 12.5" x 12.5" is a good second choice, but I prefer a 16.5" x 16.5" size for a square ruler. A 6.5" x 6.5" is nice to have but not really a must have unless you make a lot of 6.5" blocks. You can square a block with any square ruler.

Take a look at the OLFA Rulers here http://www.olfa.com/RulersList.aspx?C=66

Wow, I just love you all. That helps so much you can not imagine. So 6.5"x 24" will be my first buy with the 12.5x12.5 for swap blocks.

What works good for doing triangles?

I like omni grid too. I have the 6 1/2 square, 12 1/2 square, 6 1/2 x 24 1/2 and 6 1/2 x 12 1/2 as well as a triangle. I love them all. If I were you I would consider getting a small square too I use it a lot for small projects. I finally got a rotary guard for my 24" and feel much safer when doing a lot of cutting. I have had too friends with stitches from rotary cutters.

I only have one ruler. :oops: :oops: It is the 6.5x24. Someday (soon) I will get my square too. I cut triangles and all with this ruler and my mat.

I have a lot of rulers bought at Joanns with coupons or on sale.
The very basics I use the most are the 6 1/2 by 24 and the 6 1/2 by 12.
But for special rulers my Quilt in a Day flying geese and also the 6 in triangle sq up ruler are my best investment.
I also like to use my largest 16 in square for squaring up my quilts.

My fav is the Omni 5x24 with a lip for more acceracy & the 4x14 omni for smaller projects. You'll get a collection after awhile.
And don't ever pay full price. Jo-ann coupons are the best

You can go to glass shop and have them cut you any size ruler you want very cheap out of 1/8 pexie glass.. It won't be marked of course but great for getting every size square for squaring up. I got a 18" square for $7 at the local windshield repair shop.

My favorite for cutting strips is the optima 6x24. It is black numbers and markings on one side and yellow on the other. It also has the eighth markings which I use.

Jo-anns for me is out of the question unless I order off the net. The closest one I know of is just under 2 hours away. But I shall check the net on them and sign up. I have not been to one in 3 years. I know there has to be one closer maybe I can find it off their site. I know I am driving at least 2 counties away to get to one, for our county has nothing like that. Just love living in the country in a real small town. Heck it take me 30 mins just to get to wallyworld. Thant on the other side of town for me and we are 10 miles out of town.

Wally World does stock a 6.5 x 24 Fiskars ruler think it's around $10. It's not bad, if you like pink. It seems to hold up well, it was the first ruler we bought 4 years ago, and it's still going strong.

I understand what you are saying about getting there. We live 8 miles outside of town and WM is on the other side of town takes about 25 minutes to get there. We've got you on Joann's, our closest one is only an hour and a half away.

I agree with the suggestions you have gotten so far. Another consideration is a ruler that I find invaluable (I am a goofy gadget girl) have waaay too many rulers. But there is only one I would fight you for! That is my June taylor shape cut. This tool is so phenomenal!! Takes a little getting used to as your RC fits into slits to cut strips, squares, etc. from 1/2 " and up. This tool comes in 2 sizes and although it is spendy to start with it is (I think) well worth the price. It does not shift on your fabric either.

Also another fun place to go for goodies is: WWW.create for less.com
books patterns, you name it at really good prices!
when you can sve $$ on these things you can spend more on fabric! right piecers? heh heh
SanDee

My favorites are made by Creative Grid. The lines are clear, but not thick.

I have an Omni Grip that will be going w/ me to the guild swap table - I HATE all of those lines all over. The neon grippy things make it impossible to see the measurement lines on the fabric edge. Luckily, it was a gift so cost me nothing.

I started w/a 6 X 24 Fiskars (which was okay; don't even know if they make them any more) and slowly built my collection. My most used now is a 6.5 X 12. I even cut my strips with it (fold fabric 2x). I also use my square rulers a lot - I like to square everything up as I go - and have them in many sizes from 2.5" to 15.5". The only "speciality" ruler I have is a QIAD flying geese one, I do like that when I am making geese.

Bonnie Hunt recommends an Easy Angle; I haven't tried one yet. I'm starting to get my scraps into order using her system, so maybe soon I'll try the ruler.

I have both sizes of the rulers with the slits. !/4 inch and the 1/2 in. Love them. I also use my 6.5 x 24 and 6.5 x 12 alot. Was able to purchase both at JoAnn's with a coupon or it was on sale. I have a 10% off total purchase card for JoAnn's as long as I didn't use a coupon for the item, it can be used, even on sale items.

Mary

Yes Mary, aren't the shape cut rulers great! I also like my 6x24/
SanDee

Yes, I love them. Really came in handy for the 5 pinwheel quilts I'm working on now. (there are 5 of us kids), using up a lot of my FQ stash. And for my light strips I just kept going and going like the energizer bunny. I figured if I cut extra, they could always be used.

You know I think the color thing depends on what color your fabrics are or going to be. For me black would not work as most of my fabrics are very dark. So I guess one should have two different color rulers in that sense one for dark fabric and one for light ones or the one of the Optimas.